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embraces? But here the distance of the terms is infinitely greater. Rejoice, O angels; shout, O seraphim ; O, all ye friends of the Bridegroom, prepare an epithalamium, be ready with the marriage-song. Lo, here is the wonder of wonders; for Jehovah hath betrothed himself for ever to his hopeless captives, and owns the marriage before all the world, and is become one with us and we with him. He hath bequeathed to us the precious things of heaven above, and the precious things of the earth beneath, with the fulness thereof, and hath kept back nothing from us.

And now, O Lord, thou art that God, and thy words are true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servants, and hast left us nothing to ask at thy hands but what thou hast already freely granted. Only the word which thou hast spoken concerning thy servants, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said, and let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts, he is the God of Israel. Amen. Hallelujah.

CHAPTER XV.

TRIUMPH IN THE COVENANT.

THE VARIOUS CONFLICTS AND GLORIOUS CONQUESTS OF
FAITH OVER UNBELIEF.*

YEA, hath God said, I will be a God unto thee?
Will the Lord be mine? Will he

Is it true indeed?

lay aside the controversy, and conclude a peace? Will he receive the rebel to mercy, and open his doors to his prodigal? I will surely go unto my Father; I will take unto me words, and bow myself before his footstool, and say, O Lord, I have heard thy words, and do here lay hold on thy covenant. I accept the kindness of God, and will adventure myself upon thy fidelity, and trust my whole happiness here and hereafter upon these thy promises.

Farewell, deceitful world, get thee under my feet. Too long have I feared thy vain threats; too long have I been deluded with thy flattering promises. Canst thou promise me, or deny me such things as God hath covenanted to give me? I know thou canst not, and therefore I renounce thee for ever from being the object of my faith, or fear. No longer will I lean to this rotten reed, no longer will I trust to this broken idol. Away, Satan, with thy tempting baits. vain dost thou dress the harlot in her paint and brav

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ery; and tell me, All this will I give thee. Canst thou show me such a crown, such a kingdom as God has promised to settle upon me; or that which will balance the loss of an infinite God, who here gives himself unto me? Away, deceitful lusts and pleasures, get you hence; I have enough in Christ and his promise to give my soul full content; these have I lodged in my heart, and there is no longer room for such guests as you. Never shall you have quiet entertainment more within these doors.

Thou God of truth, I here take thee at thy word ; thou requirest but my acceptance and consent, and here thou hast it. Good is the word of the Lord which he hath spoken, and as my Lord hath said, so will thy servant do. My soul catcheth hold of thy promises. These have I taken as my heritage for ever. Let others gain the preferments and possessions of this world, it shall be enough for me to be an heir of thy promises.

What a booty I have the prom

Now

O happy soul, how rich art thou! have I gotten! It is all mine own. ises of this life and of that which is to come. O what can I wish more? How full a charter is here! my doubting soul may boldly and believingly say with Thomas, My Lord, and my God. What need we any further witness? We have heard his words. He hath sworn by his holiness that his decree may not be changed, and hath signed it with his own signet.

Rejoice, ye heavens; strike up, ye celestial choirs. Help, heaven and earth. Sing unto the Lord, O ye

saints of his. Bless the Lord, O my soul. O had I the tongues of men and angels, all were too little for me. Had I ten thousand tongues, the whole were not sufficient to utter my Creator's praises.

My Beloved is mine, and I am his. The grant is clear, and my claim is firm. Who durst deny it, when God himself doth own it? Is it a hard adventure to speak after Christ himself? Why, this is the message that he hath sent me: I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God. He hath put words into my mouth, and bid me say, Our Father.

I believe; Lord, help my unbelief. O my God, and my Father, I accept thee with all humble thankfulness, and am bold to take hold of thee. O my King and my God, I subject my soul and all its powers to thee. O my glory, in thee will I boast all the day. O my rock, on thee will I build all my confidence and my hopes. O staff of my life, and strength of my heart, the life of my joys and joy of my life, I will sit and sing under thy shadow, and glory in thy holy name.

O my soul, arise and take possession. Inherit thy blessedness, and cast up thy riches. Thine is the kingdom, thine is the glory, and thine is the victory. The whole Trinity is thine. All the persons in the Godhead, all the attributes in the Godhead are thine. And behold, here is the evidence, and these are the writings, by which all is made sure to thee for ever.

And now, Return to thy rest, O my soul; for the

Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. Say if thy lines be not fallen to thee in a pleasant place, and if this he not a goodly heritage. O blasphemous discontent, how absurd and unreasonable an evil art thou, whom all the fulness of the Godhead cannot satisfy, because thou art denied in a petty comfort, or crossed in thy vain expectations from the world! O my unthankful soul, shall not a Trinity content thee; shall not all-sufficiency suffice thee? Silence, ye murmuring thoughts, for ever. I have enough, I abound, and am full. Infiniteness and eternity are mine, and what more can I ask?

But methinks I feel some secret damps upon my joy, and when I would soar aloft and triumph in the riches of my portion, a secret diffidence plucks me back, as the string doth the bird, and UNBELIEF whispers in my ear,

1. "Surely this is too good to be true." But who art thou that disputest against God? The Lord hath spoken it, and shall not I believe him? Will he be angry if I give my assent, and speak it confidently upon the credit of his words? O my Lord, suffer me to spread the writing before thee. Hast thou not said, Thy Maker is thy husband, Isa. 54:5; I will betroth thee unto me, Hosea 2:19; Thou shalt call me, my Father? Jer. 3:19. I pray thee, O Lord, was not this thy saying: I am God, even thy God, Psalm 50:7; I will be a Father unto you, and ye my sons and daughters? 2 Cor. 6:18. Why then should I doubt? Is not the truth of the living God sure footing for my faith?

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